It is an anxiety disorder, meaning it gives people a feeling of uneasiness in certain instances. These instances take the form of repeated and/or unwanted "obsessions". Obsessions can be involuntary thoughts, ideas, actions, feelings or emotions that are quite often disturbing or distracting.
In order to alleviate these obsessions, albeit for a short period of time, people act in a certain way. Not performing these compulsions (actions that you are driven to keep doing) might cause great anxiety.
5 Categories of OCD victims
Washers are afraid of contamination and frequently wash their hands to alleviate obsessive thoughts.
Checkers constantly keep an eye or "check" on things that they might deem dangerous or things that they associate with harm such as the gas switch on the stove.
Doubters/sinners are perfectionists and become severely anxious if they feel something just isn't done right or 100% perfect as they feel something bad will happen.
Counters/arrangers are obsessed with symmetry and are superstitious about certain colors or numbers or arrangements.
Hoarders don't throw anything away. They constantly hoard things that they don't even use from fear that something bad will happen if they throw anything away.
Symptoms of...
Obsessive behavior include:
Fear of contamination
Violent thoughts
Great focus
Superstition
Need for order or symmetry
Compulsive behavior include:
Counting
Undergoing rituals
Tapping
Double-checking
Collecting junk
Repeating actions
Medication
The first medication that is considered during the treatment OCD patients is SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and, as a depressant, it slows down the central nervous system.
Such drugs include:
Citalopram
Sertraline
Paroxetine
Fluvoxamine
Another type of medication that tends to work better in terms of treating the condition than the SSRI is a TCA. This medication is usually regarded as an option if the SSRI doesn't work as it tends to have unpleasant side effects including a serious drop in blood pressure and difficulty urinating. Clomipramine is the oldest type of TCA or tricyclic antidepressant.
Treatment
The most effective type of OCD treatment is CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. In CBT, the patient is exposed to things that trigger obsessive thoughts multiple times. The patient then develops a resistance to the oncoming anxiety and in turn drops the need to perform a compulsive act. It works even better in conjunction with medication.
Another treatment is the "4 'R' Method" developed by Psychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz.
Relabel - Train yourself to think that the obsessive thoughts are merely a result of the OCD.
Reattribute - Understand that the intensity of the obsessive thought or urge is a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Refocus - Focus your attention somewhere else to work around the OCD.
Revalue - Tell yourself that the obsession is meaningless and it does not need your attention. Do not take the OCD at face value.
Prevention
You can not prevent OCD, but you can improve your condition with treatment.
OCD in pop-culture
English football player David Beckham has suffered from OCD.
Aviator and entrepreneur Howard Hughes has reportedly struggled with OCD.
It is one of the main themes in Orson Scott Cards's Xenocide, the sequel to Ender's Game.
Citations
"Obsessive-compulsive Disorder." PubMed Health. Ed. Linda J. Vorvick and Michelle B. Merrill. US National Library of Medicine, 11 Feb. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001926/>.
OCD
What is it?
It is an anxiety disorder, meaning it gives people a feeling of uneasiness in certain instances. These instances take the form of repeated and/or unwanted "obsessions". Obsessions can be involuntary thoughts, ideas, actions, feelings or emotions that are quite often disturbing or distracting.
In order to alleviate these obsessions, albeit for a short period of time, people act in a certain way. Not performing these compulsions (actions that you are driven to keep doing) might cause great anxiety.
5 Categories of OCD victims
Washers are afraid of contamination and frequently wash their hands to alleviate obsessive thoughts.
Checkers constantly keep an eye or "check" on things that they might deem dangerous or things that they associate with harm such as the gas switch on the stove.
Doubters/sinners are perfectionists and become severely anxious if they feel something just isn't done right or 100% perfect as they feel something bad will happen.
Counters/arrangers are obsessed with symmetry and are superstitious about certain colors or numbers or arrangements.
Hoarders don't throw anything away. They constantly hoard things that they don't even use from fear that something bad will happen if they throw anything away.
Symptoms of...
Obsessive behavior include:
Compulsive behavior include:
Medication
The first medication that is considered during the treatment OCD patients is SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and, as a depressant, it slows down the central nervous system.
Such drugs include:
Another type of medication that tends to work better in terms of treating the condition than the SSRI is a TCA. This medication is usually regarded as an option if the SSRI doesn't work as it tends to have unpleasant side effects including a serious drop in blood pressure and difficulty urinating.
Clomipramine is the oldest type of TCA or tricyclic antidepressant.
Treatment
The most effective type of OCD treatment is CBT or cognitive behavioral therapy. In CBT, the patient is exposed to things that trigger obsessive thoughts multiple times. The patient then develops a resistance to the oncoming anxiety and in turn drops the need to perform a compulsive act. It works even better in conjunction with medication.
Another treatment is the "4 'R' Method" developed by Psychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz.
Prevention
You can not prevent OCD, but you can improve your condition with treatment.
OCD in pop-culture
English football player David Beckham has suffered from OCD.
Aviator and entrepreneur Howard Hughes has reportedly struggled with OCD.
It is one of the main themes in Orson Scott Cards's Xenocide, the sequel to Ender's Game.
Citations
"Obsessive-compulsive Disorder." PubMed Health. Ed. Linda J. Vorvick and Michelle B. Merrill. US National Library of Medicine, 11 Feb. 2010. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001926/>.
"Obsessive–compulsive Disorder." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCD>.
Robinson, Lawrence, Melinda Smith, and Jeanne Segal. "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR AND OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS." Helpguide. Web. 13 Apr. 2012. <http://www.helpguide.org/mental/obsessive_compulsive_disorder_ocd.htm>.